Dear Mary,17
I thought I must
write you a few lines in answer to your letter I was very happy to think you
was so good as to write me and hope you may not forget to do so again. That
paper of Candy I sent with John for you to pay for your letter. If I had have
had time I would have sent something I would have been glad to made you a visit
from Davenport as you requested me. But I had no time tell Woodworth and Parkes
they must write to me be a good girl and remember your
Cousin Billie
I went to supper
when the other sheet was full, but before we were half through Dress Parade was
called and we had to leave every thing to get cold but however I ate enough
such as it was
I was very glad to
hear that Hattie and Mother were going to Wis. Hope they may enjoy it
I just wish that you
could be here one day and see the soldiers and their fare there is a guard all
around our camp and one can not get out unless he has a pass or run the beat
Isaac and my self are going out in the country tomorrow if we can just for a
pleasure trip
There was a
secessionist or spy arrested here Friday. Maj. Lefingwell18 took him
to St. Louis, have not heard from him since but he may have to suffr, This
morning two men were arrested and brought in camp said to be from Missouri and
spies they are in the guard house I do not know what they will do with them
It was so dark I
just moved toward a camp fire I find it rather disagreable writing and will have
to close I was very glad to hear from you want you to write as often as you can
and I will do the same. If I had time I could write a great deal more you must
send all my letters if I have any to me by the directions below
You must excuse this
poorly written letter if you can read it but writing on a rough board
makes it look worse than it would,
Isaac was just here
and says he has not time to write, but tell you he is all right, the camp is very
healthy and my self and Fred are very well give my love to all and write soon
17 This letter is undated, but from the mention
of his mother's impending trip to Wisconsin we may infer that it was written
about October 1, 1861. Mary was William's cousin by marriage; she had married
his cousin Woodworth Parkes of Clinton. Hence Gulick writes or refers
to them frequently as "Mary & Woodie".
18 Wm. E. Leffingwell, according to
Lothrop's A History of the First Regiment Iowa Cavalry,
which is substantiated by the rosters of the Iowa Union forces, was not
actually commissioned with a higher rank than Captain of Company B. However, he
was for all practical purposes acting Major of the First Battalion, which was
detached from the regiment, placed in his charge, and sent to West Central
Missouri in the early part of October.
SOURCE: Benjamin F.
Shambaugh, The Iowa Journal of History and Politics, vol. 28
(1930), pp. 206-8.
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